What's your Disney "Thing?"

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

b=u=m=p!!!!!

Glad you bumped this! The boards have not been as exciting lately!

We've totally made 50's Prime Time a must do everytime now that our May trip is over. I think we've added Akershus Princess Story Hour breakfast (hated the lunch food, but LOVED the breakfast food), Cinderella's Royal Table, Fantasmic Dinner Package, Sci-Fi, Teppan Edo, and O'Hana into the must do's though! I am gonna have to make every trip a 10 day trip!

Another must do is EMH at Magic Kingdom. We love that it's quieter, the lines are short, and we get to do whatever we want in a more peaceful way. Pirates is pretty much empty, Haunted Mansion too...AND...we like to sneak into Peter Pan right before park close b/c they will make sure you get on the ride.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! We LOVED it! So glad we did it. We wanted to do it one time before my older girls were too old, and this year they want to do it again!!! The kids are required to save their own money for it through the year so they take ownership in it and appreciate it. The older girls will probably have to sew their own costumes this year for BBB as they just barely fit into a 14-16 now. That is, unless they want to buy an adult dress. We'll see. Can't wait for MNSSHP.

Splash mountain...Repeatedly!
...Well, I guess we have to do everything! We love everything! Oh, except Conservation Station/Rafiki's Planet Watch. We won't do that again. Oh yeah, and Coral Reef. Ick.

 

[FloridaDreaming]

What a great thread! I've really enjoyed reading everyone's 'things'.

I have to spend the first, and usually last, evening at DTD. Getting a pretzel from Wetzel's. People watching, shopping, enjoying the music, lights on the trees, and finally grabbing a hot chocolate and treat from Goofy's for the room that night.

ETA- I have to have one of the breakfast croissant sandwiches from the resort food court. Not sure why, but, I just do. Yum!

 

[phoenixflight]

Hmm--family traditions include:
Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. We (well, mostly "I", but I drag the rest of my family along) must ride these several times.
We must eat at the Garden Grill at least once.
If at all possible, we must eat at Cinderella's Royal Table.
We have to have at least one character breakfast.
I must ride Spaceship Earth and take pictures in front of Cinderella's castle with my family. (This thread has inspired me to see if I can snag a kiss from DH there this year )

New things: This trip, I must ride
Tower of Terror
Soarin'
Expedition Everest
and Rockin' Roller Coaster

ToT and Rockin' Roller Coaster I have been too chicken to ride until this trip--I must face my fears! The others in the list are rides I've never had the chance to go on before. Can't wait!

19 days to go....!

 

[THEJOEL]

Not necessarily a ride or tradition but I have one thing about our trip.
My #1 rule is our trip will be just us me, DW and DD. THAT'S IT!!
I have had dozens of people want to tag along my answer is a simple no. I will be happy to help you plan your trip but you take your own trip.
I just don't see or get why people bring uncles, cousins,grannie the neighbors kid and the family cat.
Maybe selfish but hey it's our trip!

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Hmm--family traditions include:
Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. We (well, mostly "I", but I drag the rest of my family along) must ride these several times.
We must eat at the Garden Grill at least once.
If at all possible, we must eat at Cinderella's Royal Table.
We have to have at least one character breakfast.
I must ride Spaceship Earth and take pictures in front of Cinderella's castle with my family. (This thread has inspired me to see if I can snag a kiss from DH there this year )

New things: This trip, I must ride
Tower of Terror
Soarin'
Expedition Everest
and Rockin' Roller Coaster

ToT and Rockin' Roller Coaster I have been too chicken to ride until this trip--I must face my fears! The others in the list are rides I've never had the chance to go on before. Can't wait!

19 days to go....!

Do it!!! My four year old was sort of intimidated after we took her on TOT (her exact words were: "That was NOT fun."), but when we got home she decided she was going to conquer her fears and ride it again. She psyched herself into doing it, and when we went back when she turned 5, she loved it! I wasn't super thrilled on RRC at first b/c I get a little sick sometimes, but I went back, took Sea bands with me, rode it several times, and nearly cried b/c I loved it so much! Have fun and good luck! Let us know how much you love them!

Not necessarily a ride or tradition but I have one thing about our trip.
My #1 rule is our trip will be just us me, DW and DD. THAT'S IT!!
I have had dozens of people want to tag along my answer is a simple no. I will be happy to help you plan your trip but you take your own trip.
I just don't see or get why people bring uncles, cousins,grannie the neighbors kid and the family cat.
Maybe selfish but hey it's our trip!

Now see, I am totally of a different opinion! I am with my immediate family all the time. We use our vacation time to bond further with our extended family. Don't get me wrong, I would NEVER invite my in-laws to my happy place b/c they make me miserable. However, my husband is almost as close to my parents and brothers as I am. We can't imagine taking a trip to Disney without my parents. The kids love having them, and it helps us with the kids. This past year our trip was originally planned for just us b/c noone else wanted to go. My kids begged my parents until they said yes. Then my brother was able to go b/c he is going through a divorce and the soon to be ex-wife finally consented to him taking his kids. We had a blast! There's only been two times that I've wanted to kill my mother. Other than that, we had the best time and made wonderful memories. I don't pay for my family to go, so I'm not sure if the people who want to tag along with you are expecting you to pick up the tab or not. My family pays their own way, and we have so much fun. I did pay for a portion of my parents' trip as a surprise so they would stay longer, but they had no idea, so it wasn't expected of us. My extended family is part of our immediate family in our eyes, so we enjoy every minute (well, except for the minutes when I wanted to throw my mom overboard on Kali) with them. I know my parents aren't going to be around forever. I can't imagine that day, but when it comes we will have wonderful memories of our times at Disney together! Your opinion is not wrong, it is just different from mine, and I wanted to answer you when you said you didn't understand why people want to take others with them. I don't think you are being selfish b/c maybe you need that time with your family. That's understandable. My family just needs that time with my parents/the kids' grandparents/ my brother/the kids' uncle/ neices and nephews. We love it.

 

[Teatimegal]

I love to go to GF for afternoon tea with my nieces or a friend who visits Disney with me. It is great way to remember our special moments and share our future Disney dreams.

 

[THEJOEL]

Do it!!! My four year old was sort of intimidated after we took her on TOT (her exact words were: "That was NOT fun."), but when we got home she decided she was going to conquer her fears and ride it again. She psyched herself into doing it, and when we went back when she turned 5, she loved it! I wasn't super thrilled on RRC at first b/c I get a little sick sometimes, but I went back, took Sea bands with me, rode it several times, and nearly cried b/c I loved it so much! Have fun and good luck! Let us know how much you love them!

Now see, I am totally of a different opinion! I am with my immediate family all the time. We use our vacation time to bond further with our extended family. Don't get me wrong, I would NEVER invite my in-laws to my happy place b/c they make me miserable. However, my husband is almost as close to my parents and brothers as I am. We can't imagine taking a trip to Disney without my parents. The kids love having them, and it helps us with the kids. This past year our trip was originally planned for just us b/c noone else wanted to go. My kids begged my parents until they said yes. Then my brother was able to go b/c he is going through a divorce and the soon to be ex-wife finally consented to him taking his kids. We had a blast! There's only been two times that I've wanted to kill my mother. Other than that, we had the best time and made wonderful memories. I don't pay for my family to go, so I'm not sure if the people who want to tag along with you are expecting you to pick up the tab or not. My family pays their own way, and we have so much fun. I did pay for a portion of my parents' trip as a surprise so they would stay longer, but they had no idea, so it wasn't expected of us. My extended family is part of our immediate family in our eyes, so we enjoy every minute (well, except for the minutes when I wanted to throw my mom overboard on Kali) with them. I know my parents aren't going to be around forever. I can't imagine that day, but when it comes we will have wonderful memories of our times at Disney together! Your opinion is not wrong, it is just different from mine, and I wanted to answer you when you said you didn't understand why people want to take others with them. I don't think you are being selfish b/c maybe you need that time with your family. That's understandable. My family just needs that time with my parents/the kids' grandparents/ my brother/the kids' uncle/ neices and nephews. We love it.

Well you have, if I counted right, was 5 children. So I can see having some back up with grandparents. I have, and will only have, the one child. So no back up needed.
Plus we aren't "picky" eaters, including my DD5 (Who is a sushi lover of all things.), so we have very little patience for people who are. We love to try new foods are avid "foodies" and our families, minus my mother, are not like that.
No one has asked that we pick up the tab but I put a lot of time into planning our first and now second trips and I don't want anyone screwing that up. Plus I want this trip to be about my DD, even though I do a touring plan I leave it somewhat flexible for her, and I want the freedom to focus on her w/o having to get approval from a committee.
Honestly my parents and my DW parents get our my nerves in large doses so I try not to subject us to it. They have a tendency to complain about tiny details that we let roll off our backs. While you are at WDW you have to have what I call "rigid flexibility" to allow for magic to happen and I feel it would be tougher with a larger group.
Just my .02 for what works for us. I think that it's cool you are able to tour with a group. I just can't bring myself to do it.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

We must go see Finding Nemo The Musical. (I have the soundtrack in my van!)

We have favorite beverage stops. The bar at the Poly for a Lapu Lapy for DH. I had a glowtini this time. Last time I had something tangerine but they seem to only serve that at the pool bar and we were inside this time.

We love staying onsite and we MUST ride the monorail at least once. I do my best thinking on Disney transportation. In fact, when we got home this time, I had brainstormed how to make this rental home "work" for our family (which included a lot of rearranging much to my husband's dismay.)

We skip alot of breakfasts, but have to do at least one. It doesn't have to be expensive, but there is just something about having breakfast and hitting the parks early.. ONCE!

 

[April1971]

At MK, must do Pirates. Was my favorite ride as a child, still love it. (Although this year when it stopped for 15 minutes under the dirty, swinging pirate foot, while being blinded by the blinking bluetooth ear piece of the man in front of me, I was not so enchanted. In fact, I was thinking of wading my way to the exit!)

At HS, must draw a character at The Magic of Disney Animation. A free, memorable souvenir.

At Epcot, must do Soarin'.

At AK, must do Kali River Rapids.

Many others rides I hate to miss, but those are the absolute must-dos, as much because of associated memories from past trips as for the ride itself.

Also, love the beignets at Port Orleans, Nestle chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches at FW, Beaches and Cream, free chocolate sample at Ghiradelli's, picking out a pin that represents a special memory from that trip, too many to list!

 

[April1971]

Oh, I thought of one more "thing" that is probably the most steadfast rule we follow. Every visit we try to do something new. Despite numerous trips, there is always something we have never tried, be it a restaurant, a show, a ride, a food, something. This year it was the Enchanted Tiki Rooms. It was so bad it was good and is the memory from the trip we laugh about. There were other firsts too, but that is the one I'll always remember from this trip.

 

[*TheWigs*]

I MUST ride IASW! If that ride were to be "down" for a trip we had planned, I'd simply HAVE to reschedule!

 

[DVCismyhappyplace]

I have several:

1. Must do Haunted Mansion as my first ride on EVERY disney trip! It was the first ride I ever went on as a kid back in 1977, and it's tradition.

2. Must have tonga toast at the Poly.

3. Must buy a Christmas ornament each trip.

 

[TinCup]

I live about an hour from Disney, have an annual pass, and go there between 30 and 40 times a year. I have many, many things that I enjoy when I am at Disney, but the only thing that I do EVERY time I go to Disney is cheer/whoop it up when I drive under the Disney arch when entering Disney property. I have been doing this for years.

 

[DiscoMinnieMouse]

1. Must have a Dole Whip.
2. Must ride the monorail and recite the English and Spanish "Please stand clear of the doors".
3. Must have at least one Premium Bar, preferably more.
4. Must get a wake up call from Mickey.
5. Must watch the resort tv channel while getting ready in the morning.

It's been fun reading everyone's must-do's and seeing all we have in common!

 

[HappyGal]

These are all Magic Kingdom favs:

Breakfast at the Crystal Palace
Pirates of the Carribean
Haunted Mansion
Fireworks!

 

[HappyGal]

Magic Kingdom musts:

Breakfast at Crystal Palace
Pirates of the Carribean
Haunted Mansion
Fireworks!

 

[xipetotec]

This doesn't have to be a great "tip", or a "secret" or a "freebie." Just your own personal "thing." What is that one thing that you HAVE to do or else your Disney trip just isn't complete - a show you have to watch? a food you have to eat? a certain place you need to steal a kiss from your hubbie or wife?

I'd love to know what makes Disney, " Disney " for you!

(Mine are very simple - I MUST ride Dumbo w/ my DSs, and I MUST ride Tower of Terror - with DH if possible, but w/ 2 little ones, it'll probably be a kiddie exchange instead.)

I don't think we have only one. But I guess our "Tradition" ( other than the typical picture in front of the castle ) is taking a picture of the kids in front of the Tonka Truck near Honey I shrunk the kids playground. We did this when they were 3,6,8 and have done so every two years when we go for the past 10 years...

Must dos other than that... dole-whips, monorail ( even if we don't NEED to take it )

 

[Rozz]

Our traditions

Haunted Mansion
Dole whip
Beauty and the Beast at DHS
Churro from a vending cart
I'll stop now...